1. Technical Field
The invention relates to paper shredders and particularly shredders for shredding carbon paper of the type used with credit purchases. More particularly, the invention relates to a compact carbon paper shredder and associated method to be located adjacent the checkout counter or cash register a business establishments.
2. Background Information
The use of credit purchases has grown considerably over the years and is steadily increasing, wherein the purchaser uses a credit card with the transaction being recorded on a document or credit slip containing usually two or more copies separated by carbon paper. A problem has developed in that dishonest individuals will obtain the carbon paper which is discarded after the transaction has been completed and the copies distributed to the appropriate people and locations. Usually one of the copies goes to the customer, with the other two remaining with the business establishment. The used carbons can be read and various information, including the customers name and credit card number, obtained from the carbons and subsequently used by the thief for improper and unlawful credit transactions.
Therefore, it has become the practice upon completion of a credit transaction, that the business establishment personnel or the customer, will manually rip the carbon paper into several pieces and deposit the same in a waste receptacle. However, this is unsatisfactory due to the soiling of the persons hands, fingers and clothes upon tearing of the carbon paper. Also, the carbon paper usually is not adequately destroyed and if the thief has sufficient patience, can easily piece the torn carbon together and obtain the necessary information for making subsequent illegal purchases.
It has been found that usual paper and document shredders are not satisfactory for shredding carbon paper since the carbon paper is relatively thin and of a low mass and is self-lubricating due to the carbon material. Also, the carbon has a relatively high tensile strength making the start of the tear difficult, after which the remaining separation or tearing is more easily accomplished. It has been found that if the carbon paper is passed between two meshing rolls, it usually will not sufficiently disfigure the paper to destroy the confidential information thereon, and if passed between various types of intermeshing cutting blades, can pass completely through the blade without sufficiently shredding the paper. Also even if the carbon is cut into numerous strips as is accomplished by usual document shredders, it can be replaced together if the thief has sufficient patience. Furthermore, most known prior art document shredders are relatively bulky and expensive devices marking their purchase and use at each of the check-out counters, cashiers, or credit transaction locations, impractical and too expensive for most business establishments.
Various types of document shredders and other types of shredding mechanisms have been devised for specific applications, but for certain of the reasons discussed above, would be impractical and unsuitable for the shredding of carbon paper.
Examples of known prior art shredders are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 929,960; 2,558,255; 2,886,254; 3,088,683; 3,323,728; 3,612,414; 3,682,402; 3,724,766; 4,200,239; 4,355,765; 4,545,537; 4,615,490; 4,650,128; and 4,664,317.
Therefore the need exists for an improved shredder for shredding carbon paper into a plurality of indiscernible, randomly cut bits of paper in a relatively small, inexpensive and compact unit easily located at each of the cash register locations, which has safety features incorporated therein to prevent possible injury to the clerk or customer, and which has anti-jamming features.